Hello: Joshua Winter | Retreat Host & Manager
Vale de Moses is a sanctuary to me. When my parents, Vonetta and Andrew, decided to leave behind the life they had built for our family in London, we didn't know where we would end up, but they knew it had to be somewhere with clean air and water, land to grow our own food, family-oriented community, safety for my sibling Eloïse and I. Since I was 11 years old, this valley has provided for me in so many ways and every day, I make a conscious effort to sit in gratitude for the blessing of calling this land my physical and spiritual home.
I am constantly inspired by the people that come to Vale de Moses. In my youth, I would often direct my insatiable curiosity towards our guests and their life stories. I wanted to know where they had come from and what it was like there, what they did for work and whether it was fulfilling, why they had travelled from so far to come here. Through their stories, I gained a sense of the vast potential of a human existence, shaping my understanding of the world and my dreams for the future. I found mentors and teachers that guided me along the path towards my youthful ambitions, many of whom are still in my life today.
When I needed space from human interaction, I would find it in abundance, along dirt paths through the forest and in the rock pools of the mountain streams, gleefully lost in the seemingly infinite complexity of the patterns and symmetries of nature. I learnt how movement can bring peace to a restless mind and about the intrinsic connection between our internal and external environments, and how dependent they are on each other. I also realised that the persistent questions that would hold my attention focused on the mechanics of the Universe and the intricacy of its many physical manifestations.
In 2015, I met my partner in life, Ana, in unexpected circumstances. A year later, we moved together to the UK to pursue higher education, where I enrolled in an integrated Masters degree in Theoretical Physics. I studied astronomy, complex systems, statistical dynamics, quantum mechanics and gravitation, before eventually specialising in high energy physics and building models of complex phenomena. In 2022, a year into my PhD in Particle Physics phenomenology at the University of Manchester, I took on my most important role in life as father to our son. After an 8 month placement at CERN with the ATLAS experiment — where I felt a deep sense of achievement and personal fulfillment but also learnt that the life I wanted to build for my family was not compatible with the demands of an academic career — we chose to return home, to be close to our families. Since then, Ana and I have been living at Vale de Moses through all four seasons, raising our children, Elijah and Samara, whilst we care for the land, the buildings, our team and the people that stay with us.
Over the years, my relationship with this land has evolved through many different forms. Nowadays, I am called to nurture my mother's gardens, learn from the abundant knowledge and wisdom of my parents and hold space for the many wonderful people who travel here from all walks of life. On retreats, I am around to introduce guests to the space, provide assistance to the practitioners and teachers we collaborate with and to coordinate some of the seasonal activities we have on offer. My wish for all who find their way here is that their stay is nourishing, restful, playful and inspiring.
Living in deep connection with nature means performing many roles and the effort we choose to put in is immediately reflected in our environment, so it is a challenge that I embrace wholeheartedly. It can be idyllic and almost fantastical at times, in moments which remind me of the overwhelming beauty of life on Earth. More often than not, however, it is a grounding experience. Nature reclaims quickly and does not care for the order and purpose we attribute to a space. Without regular attention and care, gardens are taken over by bush, houses return to ruins and the paths carved out over generations become obscured or lost entirely. I feel a sense of belonging in the role as caretaker of this space, and acting in service to all the beings within it gives me purpose. The valley continues to teach me patience, humility, curiosity and gratitude. As we continue to grow with this land, our guests breathe life into the spaces we hold and give meaning to the things we create.
Above all else, Vale de Moses is a place where I can be an active presence in my children's lives and where they can grow safely and healthily. As they play in the shade of trees planted by my parents and the families that lived here before, I feel entrusted with caring for this land for them and those who will come after. It is a privilege to share it with our guests, to learn from the people who pass through it, and to contribute in some small way to the enduring story of this place that has given so much to my family and me.